Muhammad Ali vs Richard Dunn 24.5.1976 - WBA & WBC World Heavyweight Championship

Muhammad Ali defends his World Heavyweight titles against the best Europe had to offer at the time, European, BBBoC and Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion, Richard Dunn. Some consider this the most spirited effort that any UK born fighter ever produced against Ali. More info below...

Richard Dunn was almost near the end of his pro career that started back in 1969. Dunn may not have been the most talented or skilled boxer but he was tough and gave everything he had in each fight. Dunn liked to start his fights fast and hard, keeping constant pressure on his opponents, and although the first few years of his career were hardly impressive, he had great success in 1975 & 1976 which would lead to his shot at the World Heavyweight title against Ali. In 1975 Dunn would beat Bunny Johnson over 15 rounds to claim the BBBoC and Commonwealth Heavyweight titles. He successfully defended the titles against a former BBBoC and Commonwealth champion, Danny McAlinden by KO and finished the year with a TKO win over Texas journeyman, Terry Krueger. Dunn started 1976 just as strongly as he finished 1975 by winning the vacant European Heavyweight title by stopping German Heavyweight Champion, Bernd August, within 3 rounds. Dunn's record heading in against Ali was 33-9, which isn't that impressive, but he was on a winning streak...

Ali would be making his 7th defence of the World Heavyweight titles having won them from George Foreman back in 1974. He was well established as the best heavyweight in the world, arguably the best ever, and his career was still far from done. In his 3 most recent fights Ali had outpointed Jimmy Young over 15 rounds, knocked out Jean-Pierre Coopman in 5 and forced Joe Frazier to retire on his corner after 14 rounds in arguably the most famous fight of all time, The Thriller in Manilla. Ali's record sat at 51-2 with only Joe Frazier and Ken Norton having beaten him.

For the first 3 rounds Ali looked awkward against Dunn, seemingly unable to get a good rythym against his south paw opponent who just kept comimg forward. Ali was in no trouble though, he didn't seem bothered by Dunn's punching power and when he needed to Ali would dance out of the way. Rd 4 looked liked it was going to follow suit but then Ali dropped Dunn with a solid straight right to the jaw. Ali beckoned him to get back up which Dunn did and the 2 squared off again. Dunn was getting the worst of the exchanges and went down twice more, both thanks to a straight right hand again, but even when he was hurt and stunned, Dunn kept fighting back! In Rd 5 Ali kept his composure and, knowing he had hurt his man in the previous round, started to focus on single power punchers instead of combos to end the fight early. Dunn was eventually knocked down twice more in Rd 5 before the ref rightfully waived it off in favour of Ali.

After the loss to Ali, Dunn's career never recovered. Nobody really gave Dunn much of a chance against Ali but he showed true guts and a champions spirit, even after being knocked down repeatedly he always got back up willing to keep going. In his very next fight however Dunn would suffer the worst loss of his entire career, a 1st Rd KO against Joe Bugner, giving up his BBBoC, Commonwealth and European titles in the process. Dunn took a year off to regather himself and returned in 1977 but had no luck, this time being knocked out by South Africa (White) Heavyweight Champion, Kallie Knoetze. Dunn promptly retired following the loss with a 33-12 record.

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